MILEY WINS 11TH ANNUAL ECKL MEMORIAL AT THUNDER MTN SPEEDWAY

The Zimmer Service Center ULMS Late Models made their first ever appearance to Thunder Mtn Speedway for the 11th annual Stephanie Eckl Memorial. The $4100 to win 35 lap event saw 29 entries from New York and Pennsylvania on hand. ULMS point leader, Jared Miley of South Park, Pennsylvania captured his second consecutive ULMS win of the season by pulling away late in the event to win by 6.882 seconds.

Twenty four of the region’s best late model teams rolled onto the facility for the 35 lap Stephanie Eckl Memorial lead by local star Jason Witherite and regional sensation Gregg Satterlee. At the drop of ULMS flagman, Curtis Peters green flag, Satterlee shot into the lead into turn one over Witherite. As lap one was being completed, Bob Dorman tagged the front stretch wall and was collected by Jeremy Ohl. Ohl’s night was completed on lap one while Dorman would return later in the event. Track point champion, Denny Fenton also retired from the event. On the restart again Satterlee got the jump on Witherite only to relinquish it in turn three as “the Truth” got very high in turn three allowing Witherite to sneak by as the yellow lights flashed again for a few more yellow flags. The restart saw 3 wide battle in turn one with Witherite, Satterlee and Boom Briggs with Satterlee shooting around both of them on the outside to take the lead again and the yellow lights flash again for Waylon Wagner who lost a rear end and came to a stop in turn three. Finally lap 5 got in the books with Satterlee now your leader over Briggs, Witherite, Miley and Colbey Frye. A pair of yellows on lap five including the second yellow for Frye who spun in turn 2 and ending his night.

Satterlee and field rolled 4 laps in the books till lap nine when second place running and former 2 time ULMS champion Boom Briggs shredded a right rear tire and leaving a trail of rubber all around the track bringing out another lengthy yellow. With lap 10 finally in the books it was Satterlee, Witherite, Miley Andy Fries and 18th starting, and defending ULMS champion, Jason Dupont in fifth. On a lap 12 yellow, race leader Satterlee developed a left rear flat tire giving the lead to Miley. On the restart, Miley and Witherite made contact in turn one with Witherite losing the handle and being collected by Briggs, Dupont and Benny Gordon. A series of green flag racing took place finally as Miley was the race leader now over Andy Fries, Pete Alspaugh, Chad Valone and Devin Lewis as lap fifteen clicked off the board. At the halfway mark it was the same top five with Bill Davis, Briggs Dupont, Jason Schmidt and Satterlee rounding out the top 10. Witherite would bring out the yellow on lap 19 for a exploded right rear tire leaving a trail of rubber around the track. As lap 20 clicked off the board it was still Miley over Fries, Valone, Davis, Briggs were the top five. Lap 21 would see disaster for Valone as he shredded a right rear tire as well giving up third place. The restart saw Briggs get by Fries for second and Dupont was now fourth and Satterlee was back marching into the top five. Satterlee would grab fourth on lap 24 and take third from Dupont with ten to go, Briggs tried to stay with Miley but the “Jet” quickly started to pull away from Briggs and Satterlee as the pair battled for second. At the finish it was Jared Miley picking up his first ever Stephanie Eckl Memorial win and his second consecutive ULMS win of the season over Briggs, Satterlee, Dupont and Fries. Bill Davis came home sixth and was the top finishing local driver followed by Valone, Schmidt, Alspaugh and Doug Eck who had several flat right rear tires in the event.

Heat winners were, Benny Gordon, Frye, Briggs and Satterlee with Waylon Wagner winning the consolation event. The 29 car field was the largest field of the year for the Zimmer’s Service Center ULMS Late Models and Jared Miley has a solid point lead going into the final three events.
The Zimmer’s Service Center ULMS Late Models will be off now until September 25th and 26th when they make their season debut at Eriez Speedway for the two day September Sweep paying $4,000 and $6,000 to win and end up the season at McKean County Raceway for the 10th annual MCR FALL CLASSIC in the Jim and Mike Duffy Memorial RacFAN 50 paying $5000 to win.

FEATURE:
JARED MILEY, Boom Briggs, Gregg Satterlee, Jason Duont, Andy Fries, Bill Davis, Chad Valone, Jason Schmidt, Pete Alspaugh, Doug Eck, Tim Fannin, Skip Lindemuth, Devin Lewis, John Weaver, Colton Gearhart, Jason Witherite, Benny Gordon, Colbey Frye, Bob Dorman, Waylon Wagner, Doug Glessner, Dan Stone, Jeremy Ohl, Denny Fenton.

DNQ:
Joe Malobicky, Matt Gaston, Dan Stormer, Chad Rougeux, Larry Baer

Zimmer Service Center Heat #1:
Gordon, Witherite, Davis, Eck, Gaston, Gearhart, Malobicky, Fenton

Hoosier Tire Mid Atlantic Heat #2
Frye, Lewis, Dorman, Stone, Lindemuth, Ohl, Rougeux

Lias Tire / American Racer Tire Heat #3
Briggs, Miley, Valone, Schmidt, Dupont, Weaver, Fannin

Keizer Aluminum Wheels / Advocare by Advozuvy.com Heat #4
Satterlee, Glessner, Fries, Alspaugh, Wagner, Baer, Stormer

Genesis Shocks / Integra Shocks Bmain:
Wagner, Dupont, Lindemuth, Ohl, Weaver Gearhart, Malobicky, Gaston, Stormer, Rougeux,
Fannin, Baer, Fenton

Group A FAST TIME: Jason Witherite 16.292
Group B FAST TIME: Chad Valone 16.171 seconds (FASTEST OVERALL)

Photo gallery courtesy of Gary Shrey, contact him for prints or use: Gshrey@aol.com